Improvement in devices for holding and driving barbs into fences



O. P]. HOUSUM. Device for Holding and Driving Barbs into Fences Patented June 11, 1878.

7702m Min? N.FE[ERS, PHOTO-UTHOHAPHER. WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES P. HOUSUM, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR HOLDING AND DRIVING BARBS INTO FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 204,734, dated June 11, 1878 application filed May 16, 1878. d

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. HoUsnM,

of Decatur, in the county of Macon and State.

of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Holding and Driving Barbs into Fences; and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 represents the barb-holder in side view and partly in section. Fig. 2 represents the same in connection with a fencerail and barbs.

My invention relates to devices for holding barbs while being driven into wooden fences or fence-rails.

My invention consists in a metallic holder having a projection or head at one end perforated through to receive barbs made of wire, pointed or beveled at each end and bent in the middle, where a rest or shoulder is thus formed, upon which the holder bears while in use.

My invention consists, also, in combining with a barb-holder perforated for the reception of barbs a spring-clamp having a pointed or beveled end to bear against the side of a barb and retain it in the perforated holder before it is driven in position, and thus leave one hand of the operator free to use ahammer upon the head of the holder and drive the barb in a fence.

In the drawings, D represents the handle of the holder, formed of metal, with a raised portion or head, d, near its extremity. The head d has a perforation extending through its center, as shown at d, to receive about one-half ofa Wire barb, a, having a diameter a little smaller than the perforation d and similar in form to those shown on the fence-rail A in Fig. 2viz., pointed or having a beveled point, I), at each end, and bent in the middle or adjacent to it, as shown at c, to form a projection or shoulder upon which the under side of the head bears while driving the barb. For this purpose the head d of the holder is struck with a hammer or mallet until the barb is driven in the wood to the desired depth.

Upon one side of the head (I there is a projection, d into which a hole, 01 has been drilled to receive a clamp,-E, havingapointed or beveled end, 0, that is forced into the perforation d or against a barb that may be placed in it by a spring, f, encircling the rear portion of the clamp E, the spring pressing at one end upon a shoulder formed in the rear of the point e, and at the other upon a washer, g, riveted in at the entrance of the hole d I find that this mode of keeping the spring-clamp in position by means of a riveted washer or stopper is more simple and lasting than a screw tapped into the opening 01 although this latter mode may be used if preferred. As the perforation d extends through the head, the barbs can be inserted in either end and retained there by the sprin g-clam p, thus leaving one hand of the operator free to strike the head of the holder with a mallet upon the opposite end to force the barbs into the boards.

In place of forcing the barb and holder down with a hammer, one end of the latter may be hinged to a clamping device embracing the fence-rail, and the other end and barb be forced down by pressing upon the handle.

Having now fully described myinvention, I claim- 1. A metallic holder for fence-rail barbs having a perforated projection or head at one end through which to receive barbs made of wire pointed or beveled at each end and bent in the middle, where a rest or shoulder is thus formed, upon which the holder bears while driving barbs into rails, substantially in the manner shown and described.

2. In combination with a barb-holder perforated for the reception of barbs, a springclamp having a pointed or beveled end to bear against the side of a barb and retain it in the perforated holder before it is driven in position, substantially as described.

CHARLES I. HOUSUM. 

